200 rai of forest encroached on

Earlier, 30 forestry officials inspected the alleged encroachment in the forest area at Nong Bua Rawe district's Tambon Wang Takhe. The officials found a resort house built there, arrested 50-year-old carpenter Amporn Amnart and seized wooden boards and pillars made of prohibited trees worth millions of baht.

Chaiyaphum governor Thavorn Phrommeechai had set a reward of Bt50,000 for anyone providing information about investors in forest reserves. A Ban None Moung resident who said the encroachment was common knowledge in Tambon Wang Takhe, undertook to provide information to the authorities if that would save this award-winning forest.

He noted the forest had won trophies from HM the Queen and HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 1997-1998 national contests for community forests.

He cited one encroachment in Ban Tha Pong, where a luxury resort was to be built on land illegally attached to a villager's one-rai plot under the Sor Por Kor 4-01 land-reform programme.

He also said that in Ban Wang Nam Khieo and Ban None Moung former kamnan, village headmen and provincial administrative organisation members urged outside investors to buy encroached land on a daily basis at prices ranging from Bt1,000 to Bt10,000 per rai to establish rubber plantations.

A Tha Pong resident who asked not to be named said the problem had come to a head over the last three years and involved local politicians and influential figures. He cited methods such as planting rubber or tapioca, felling poisoned trees, and conducting land-clearing that had gradually spread into the Khao Wong Forest.

"I want the authorities to act in good faith, because this 6,250-rai Chalerm Phrakiet forest is named in honour of HM the Queen, so it should be preserved as a provincial resource," he said.

In related news, Phang Nga governor Yiamsuriya Palusuk said yesterday that he had assigned officials to look into villagers' complaints that 4-5 houses had been built in the Lam Kaen-Khao Lak National Forest.